


Stag & Doe

by klose



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-06
Updated: 2011-04-29
Packaged: 2017-11-03 23:16:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/387078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klose/pseuds/klose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a collection of various ficlets (less than 1000 words) revolving around Lily Evans and James Potter, that were written for fests over at lilyjames_fest @ LJ.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birthday

* * *

**Birthday**

Harry's shrieks wafted in from the living room.

Without even realising it, Lily ran out to check on her precious boy - she _told_ James to be careful! - but to her relief, he was cradled in James's arms, unhurt. They were both watching a large, silver dog that was sitting in front of them. A Patronus - Sirius's, in fact. Lily must have come in at the tail end of the message, because it dissipated soon after her arrival.

"What's happened?" she asked, hurrying over to them both anxiously. "What did Sirius say? Did something happen, is everyone alright?"

Fear clenched her heart - who had died this time? It had been Edgar Bones's father, just last week...

"He's fine, everyone's fine," James assured her, but Lily noticed that his posture was tense, eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown. "There's just been... an incident, and the Order's been called out. Sirius won't be joining us tonight."

"Oh!" Lily said, nodding. It was Harry's birthday, and they had a small dinner planned. Nothing fancy. "Of course. Order business comes first."

"Yeah," echoed James. Harry was wriggling out his grip now, eager to continue playing with his stag plush toy. Setting him down, James scratched the back of his head. "So why do I feel so crap about it?"

"I know," sighed Lily, moving to embrace her husband. "This isn't how I envisioned us spending our first-born's first birthday."

"Stuck in an old house having dinner with a crazy old lady, yeah," said James, his voice muffled as he buried his head in Lily's hair.

"Oh, be nice," admonished Lily, though she smiled even while doing so. "Besides, at least Sirius left his present here."

She paused. "Come to think of it, I'm wondering if that isn't the reason why he's decided not to come - is it something I'll take issue with?"

James laughed. "You know it is."

There was a pause, and James pulled away from Lily.

"It'll be okay, Lily" he said, looking at her intently. "We'll be okay. Soon this will all be over, and we'll give Harry a proper birthday party next time."

Lily looked away from him, directing her gaze at Harry. For all the isolation of this past year, raising a child under such conditions had been a struggle. It was difficult to believe there would be an end soon, not while the Order was slowly being picked off and the Death Eaters gained power. Lily wasn't sure James even believed his own words.

The Stag plush toy was now joined by its friends Dog, Wolf and Rat, and all were tickling Harry, eliciting squeals and giggles. Lily couldn't help but smile, despite her own melancholy. It was difficult believing that there would be an end to this long, drawn-out war - but she would keep hoping. For love of James, and Harry, she could do that much.

As for the birthday party, so long as there was cake, presents and cheer, Harry would be a happy baby. And that was all that mattered.


	2. Never Going To Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://pics.livejournal.com/lilyjames_mod/pic/0002997d)!

If magic could be transmitted on the basis of a look alone, James Potter would not be standing in front of her with a boquet of flowers. He would, in fact, be lying on the floor, on the receiving end of _Petrificus Totalus_ or a particularly strong Stupefy. Personally, Lily favoured the Castration Hex.

As it was, sitting in the Great Hall in front of teachers and students alike, she had to settle for the deadliest glare she could manage. (And if there was one thing about Lily Evans, it was that she could certainly smoulder with a look alone.)

"Get lost, Potter."

Potter blinked, but as always, recovered quickly - much too quickly for Lily's liking. Merlin's balls, after what he'd done to her the previous night...

"I'll just leave the flowers here and go, shall I?" He flashed her a bright smile, set the flowers down, and sauntered back to where his friends were sitting.

Lily returned to her breakfast, stabbing viciously at her bacon. The flowers hovered in the periphery of her vision.

\---

Several hours later in the library, and her mood still hadn't improved. Potter and his cronies had showed up minutes after she settled in, surrounded as always by a cloud of snickers and mischief. Lily contemplated leaving, but decided that she wasn't going to let Potter chase her out. Even if he was, at the very moment, swaggering over to her table. Behind him, Lily could see his friends frantically scribbling a note to each other.

"What are you doing?" She spoke before he could have chance to, her voice flat. And for once, James actually looked taken aback - Good, she thought to herself. After that stunt he'd pulled on her the night before, and the audacity of trying to give her flowers to make it up to her...

"Uh..." Potter began, carding a hand through his hair. "Wooing you. I think? You know, since we kissed and -"

"Shut up!" Lily snapped, flaring up. "That was not a kiss! You placed that enchanted mistletoe at the second floor corridor and very conveniently passed by it the same time that I did! _That was not a kiss!_ "

"See, that's not how I remember - "

"SHUT UP!"

Hastily grabbing her things together, Lily stormed away and out of the library. She could hear James's friends sniggering behind her, no doubt laughing at James's misfortune. _Wooing her!_ Hmmph. As if that had a chance in Azkaban of succeeding, especially after what happened last night.

(Because, as far as she was concerned, they hadn't spent 10 minutes kissing even after the effects of the damn mistletoe had worn out. Absolutely not.)

"Never going to happen again, James Potter," she announced out loud, even if he wasn't around to hear it. Lily pulled the flowers out of her bag and dumped it in the nearest bin. " _Never going to happen!_ "


	3. Not Conducive For Stalking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Puddifoot's, tea & pastries, and a conversation. (Written for [this prompt](http://pics.livejournal.com/lilyjames_mod/pic/0002a34y)!)

"Goodness, has Gyrffindor's star Chaser been ditched on a date?"

"As if. And I wouldn't call it a date, really. Elaine wanted to make Davies jealous, and you know, she's a friend and a damn fine Qudditch team-mate, so I figured I'd help her out."

"I'm sure the pastries and the no-strings-snogging were a bonus."

"Are you jealous?"

"Since your date went off to hump Mark Davies at the back of the shop, not really, no."

"Damn, woman! I do not need that mental image when I'm drinking my tea!"

"Thanks for offering me some tea, by the way."

"I didn't realise you were joining me. What are you even doing here?"

"I came in to get a pack of Amortentia Coffee beans to send home, my mum loves it."

"And here I thought you were getting away from a stalker."

"That would have been a bad plan, since I'm sitting right next to him now."

"Very funny, but the stifling smell of scented candles and frilly pink curtains aren't very conducive for stalking. Want a Persephone Pomegranate cake?"

"If I eat it, will I be doomed to stay in Puddifoot's forever?"

"Hah! God, I hope not. It's worse than Hades's Underworld, that's for sure."

"Hmm. It might be better not to take the risk."

"I think Butterbeer and Cornish pasties at the Three Broomsticks would be a safer option, now that you mention it."

"I completely agree."

"Is that a yes?"

"Only if that was an offer, Potter."

"Always, Evans. _Always_."


End file.
